Transaction control system including portable data terminal and mobile customer service station

ABSTRACT

A mobile customer service station includes a console on a wheeled chassis. The console carries and houses a number of components which are used in merchandising operations to conclude customer purchase transactions. The items supported externally on the console are a printer for printing purchase receipts, customer credit charge agreements and records of transactions, and a magnetic card reader for reading information from a magnetic stripe of a customer&#39;s credit card. The console further includes a cash drawer. The operation of the printer, credit card reader and the cash drawer is controlled by a multi-function control unit located within an enclosure of the console. The control unit is electrically powdered by a self-contained power source which is preferably a deep cycle rechargeable battery. The console also houses a transceiver unit which under the control of the control unit is capable of interactive communication with a radio communication system. The radio communications system is controlled by a central computer and includes a plurality of portable data terminals which are coded to individually communicate with the central computer. The infusion of the customer service station into the radio communications system allows the data terminals to become data entry units for the mobile customer service station. The self-contained power source and the transceiver permit the customer service station to be moved to merchandising locations of temporary peak customer activity without the expense or time requirements of first having to install electrical services.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to a computer controlled data terminalsystem and more particularly to an interactive data terminal systemincluding portable radio data terminals which are used in merchandisingoperations and interface by radio transmissions with a central dataprocessing unit.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The general acceptance of computers has brought about profound advancesto retail business operations. Cash registers have been enhanced withdigital scales and with bar code readers. The enhanced cash registershave been coupled to computers thus becoming sophisticated andefficiently functioning point-of-sales equipment. The enhancements haveresulted in a reduction of time requirements for processing customers atcheck-out counters in comparison with those of more traditionalcheck-out procedures of the recent past.

Beyond applications increasing efficiency at the check-out counter, thepower of computers has been applied to track sales trends and togenerate real-time data for re-stocking merchandise inventories. A tightcontrol over inventories allows inventory margins to be optimized withresulting inventory cost optimization.

Inventory stock control further has benefited from the portability ofwell-known hand-held data terminals which are coupled via radiofrequency transmissions into a communications network coupled to acentral computer. Such hand-held data terminals equipped with bar codescanners are used to update shelf inventory data and match existingshelf items with computer back-up and pricing information. Systems usingsuch hand-held data terminals are currently in wide-spread use in retailstores because of their convenience of providing input of inventory datadirectly from stock areas to the computer, thereby replacing tediousinventory list comparisons with streamlined scanner counts andcomputerized comparisons.

The concept of hand-held order terminals has also been disclosed withrespect to restaurant or retail vending apparatus in which a portabledata terminal is carried by a waiter or order taker. The portableterminal can be paged from a customer station, such as a restauranttable, to allow a customer to call the waiter assigned to that table.The waiter then uses the unit to take the order of the customer andtransfers the completed order by radio link to an order processingstation in the kitchen of the restaurant and to a central processingstation. The central processing station is directly connected to a cashregister. Thus, when the customer is ready to leave, the customer's billhas already been processed by the central processing station and isavailable at the cash register.

The latter system pre-complies the bill for services rendered to acustomer, thereby reducing a typical delay at the check-out counter.Other systems seek to reduce delays at check-out counters by bar codereading to key information on articles purchased into the cash registerand to permit the computer to provide the pricing and total billinginformation. However, in spite of these recent advancements in the art,there will be a continued need for detailed attention to identify andrecord individual customer purchases. The store needs records ofpurchases to correctly charge a customer's account, and the customerneeds a record of purchases for item return or warranty purposes, forexample. Hence waiting lines at check-out counters during peak hours arestill part of our lifestyles. There continues to exist a need to furtherimprove the efficiencies of retail business systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In seeking to serve such current need, the present invention providesnew and improved uses for portable hand-held terminals. Certain featuresof the invention are intended as an expansion of currently existingsystems using such hand-held terminals. The use of the invention incurrently existing systems imparts to such systems an adaptability tochanges in demand for customer service. Increased customer activity andassociated peak demands for customer service may be seasonal in natureor may be sudden in response to promotional activities in certaindepartments of a merchandise retail store. The invention addresses needscreated by increased customer activities, may they be seasonal or aresult of special sales promotions. The invention also seeks to defocuscustomer services that are typically performed at check-out counters.Such defocusing is expected to reduce a current problem of customershaving to wait for extensive periods in line for service at check-outcounters.

These and other improvements and advantages are realized by providing amobile customer service station for checking out customer purchases. Thestation includes apparatus, such as a transceiver, for interacting witha central computer, and apparatus for generating a record of purchasesmade by a customer and for charging a customer's account in accordancewith customer-indicated payment preferences. The mobile customer servicestation further includes a self-contained power source, such as arechargeable battery. The self-contained power source powers theapparatus for interacting with the central computer, the apparatus forgenerating a purchase record and for charging the customer's accountaccording to payment preferences.

In a particular aspect of the invention, the mobile customer servicestation includes apparatus for identifying a customer and chargingpurchases made by the customer to the customer's account, apparatus forreceiving cash payment and for selectively charging a customer's accountaccording to customer-expressed payment preferences, and apparatus forproviding the customer with a receipt for the completed transaction.Such apparatus is powered by a self-contained power source, such as arechargeable battery and housed by an enclosure. The enclosure ismounted to a mobile base chassis and is adapted to be moved on demandfrom any one current location to any second location of relativelyhigher customer service demands than such current location.

In a specific embodiment of the invention, the mobile customer servicestation includes a credit card reader, a receipt and charge slipprinter, and a cash drawer, all of which are linked to and controlled bya multi-function control unit. In a more specific embodiment the mobilecustomer service station further includes a keyboard, a digital readoutand a bar code reader. These elements are mounted to a frame or tosupport members of said enclosure. The multi-function control unit isalso located in, and mounted to a frame member within, the enclosure.The multi-function control unit is electrically and communicativelycoupled to, and controls the operation of, such elements as the creditcard reader, the receipt and charge slip printer and the cash drawer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Various features and advantages of the invention are best understoodwhen the Detailed Description below is read in reference to the appendeddrawings comprised of the following:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a transaction control systemshowing features of the present invention including a combination ofportable data entry terminal units and mobile customer service stationscommunicatively coupled to a transceiver base station.

FIG. 2 shows is a pictorial representation of a mobile customer servicestation referred to with respect to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of features of the preferredembodiment of the invention, showing particularly elements housed in ormounted to the mobile enclosure of the mobile customer service stationshown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of features of an alternateembodiment of the invention, showing in addition to the preferredelements of FIG. 3 additional elements which may be desirable for anexpanded scope of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of a multi-function control unitshown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of one of a number of control sequences thatmay be followed by the system and the multi-function control unit ofFIG. 5 as an example of a method of operation in accordance with theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a transaction control system designated generally by thenumeral 10. The transaction control system 10 is comprised of certainsubsystems. A central data processing station or central computer 11 isthe major functional control subsystem of the system 10. Computers arewell-known in the art and typically include such sub-units as amicroprocessor functioning as a central processing unit 12, electronicdata storage such as memory 13 and more permanent data storage as isfound in magnetically stored digital data storage apparatus such as adisk drive 14 or a tape drive 15. The computer 11 communicates itsprocessed data or control information via interface buffers and ports 16and 17 to other subsystems in accordance with its intended function.

FIG. 1 shows the central computer 11 being communicatively connected viaa cable 20 to a wireless communications system, such as a radiocommunication system 21 and via a cable 22 to a customer servicesubsystem 23. In case of a retailing operation the customer servicesubsystem 23 may, for example, be a specific subsystem in which aplurality of customer service stations 24 are typical cash registers.The cash registers are individually linked to the central computer 11 toreceive from the computer 11 instructions and information, such ascurrent pricing of specific items of merchandise. In the preferredembodiment of FIG. 1, the customer service subsystem 23 includes moregenerally a plurality of customer service stations 24 each of which ishard-wired via the cable 22 to the central computer 11. Typically suchcustomer service station includes a keyboard 25, a digital readout 26, acard reader 27, a receipt printer 28 and a typical cash drawer 29.

In operating the customer service subsystem 23 as a typicalpoint-of-sale subsystem, sales clerks are checking out merchandise itemsat their respective stations 24 for customers who have completedshopping and are ready to pay for selected merchandise items. Onetypical mode of operation with respect to the station 24 is for a salesclerk to enter, via the keyboard 25, respective S.K.U. (Stock KeepingUnit) numbers of merchandise items selected by the customer. The centralcomputer 11 then looks up in its banks of memory 13 the price of eachrespective merchandise item and communicates the price to the respectivestation 24. Information inputs by the sales clerk regarding the quantityof the items purchased by the customer may be processed locally at thestation 24 or by the computer 11. At the end of the check-out procedureprices of items purchased are totaled, and the customer is presentedwith a bill. Cash or credit payment choices are interactivelycommunicated to the computer 11.

The described system of computer interactive check-out on cash registers24 has been further improved by the use of the radio communicationsystem 21. The radio communication system 21 includes in particular acommunications controller 31 which is preferably hard-wired through thecable 20 directly to the computer 11. The communications controller 31is communicatively coupled to a base transceiver station 32. Thecommunications controller 31 has what is typically referred to asmultiplexing capability, namely an ability to receive a series ofuniquely addressed data and data messages in digital format by serialtransfer from the computer 11. The communications controller convertssuch digital data messages to typical time-slot coded radio messageswhich are uniquely addressed according to the instructions from thecomputer. The radio messages are then transferred or applied to the basetransceiver station 32 to be transmitted by radio frequency. Radiomessages transmitted from the base transceiver station 32 are capable ofbeing received by any of a number of data terminals 33. However, in aradio communications system such as the system 21, each of the dataterminals 33 has the capability to uniquely decode only that portion ofthe data and data messages which is uniquely addressed to the respectiveterminal 33 by the unique address code assigned to that particularterminal 33. Therefore, of an entire multiplexed coded messagetransmitted by the base transceiver 32 only that portion of the messagewhich is directed to a particular one of the data terminals 33 isdecoded by and only by that one terminal 33. Conversely, digital dataand a combination of data and non-data characters forming a datamessage, as encoded by such particular data terminal 33 are uniquelyidentifiable by the communications controller 31 as having beenoriginated by that particular terminal 33. The unique addressing andidentification functions reside in coding and decoding circuits oftypical multiplexing systems.

In typical radio communications systems 21 each of the data terminals 33preferably includes a keyboard 34, a data message display or digitalreadout 35 and a bar code reader 36. The data terminals further includea memory 37 for storing data and data messages. Because of special spaceconsiderations in such hand-held units as the data terminals 33, thevarious communications, transmitting and receiving circuits areintegrated, thereby allowing the size of the data terminal 33 to remainof a size which allows the terminal to be conveniently carried about bya clerk. The integrated transmitting, receiving, coding and decodingcircuits within the data terminal 33 are referred to collectively as atransceiver terminal unit 38. The sole externally visible element of thetransceiver terminal unit 38 is seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 as an externallyvisible antenna 39.

A major distinction between the typical transceiver terminal unit 38 andthe combination of the communications controller 31 and the basetransceiver station 32, as already mentioned, lies in their messageaddressing functions. The communications controller 31 has the abilityto communicate with any and all of the terminal units 33 by encodingdigital data messages by time-slot encoding and directing a digital datamessage to selected specific ones of a plurality of the data terminals33, as such terminals may have been designated as the intended receiverby the computer 11. In contrast each of the transceiver terminal units38 of the data terminals 33 are not capable of communicating with eachother, but only with the communications controller 31. Thus eachtransceiver terminal unit 38 uniquely identifies and decodes only thatportion of a received message which is specifically addressed to itsrespective data terminal 33.

A physical separation between the communications controller 31 and thebase transmitter station 32 increases the serviceability of the radiocommunications system 21. If, for example, a transmission or receptionproblem occurs within the circuitry of the base transceiver station, thebase transceiver station 32 being a distinct unit is easily removed fromthe communication controller 31. The removed unit is then readilyreplaced by a substitute base transceiver station 32 operating on thesame frequency. Such a replacement minimizes down time of the system 21,generally. On the other hand, the data terminals 33, being hand-heldunits, are preferably kept small in size. The small size is moreconvenient for units intended to be carried about, and should one of thedata terminals 33 ever malfunction, it is easily replaced bysubstituting another terminal 33 operating on the same time-slot codingas the defective one. Consequently the advantage of separating thecoding and decoding circuits from the transmitter and receiver circuitsdoes not exist.

A number of commercial sources are currently offering systems suitablefor use as the radio communications system 21. A preferredcommunications system 21 is a Model NT2200 radio system, sold by NorandCorporation, the assignee hereof. The preferred system functions in atime-slot multiplexing mode which permits up to sixteen data terminals33 to be polled by the communications controller 31.

The communications system 21, enhanced in accordance with this inventionas shown in FIG. 1, includes at least one mobile customer servicestation designated generally by the numeral 40. Typically, more than oneof the mobile customer service stations 40 may be employed, as indicatedschematically in FIG. 1. However, a preferred method of using thecustomer service station 40 in conjunction with a plurality of the dataterminals 33 limits in practice the number of customer service stations40 which may be used conveniently within the capacity of any one of theradio communications systems 21.

A description of major elements of the customer service station 40 willpermit a better understanding of how the customer service station 40 maybe used within the radio communications system 21, and what are thepreferred modes of using the customer service station in conjunctionwith the radio communications system 21. FIG. 2 depicts the generalappearance of a console 41 and the overall arrangement of significantand preferred components and elements of the mobile customer servicestation 40. FIG. 3 shows schematically major components of oneembodiment of the customer service station 40.

A multi-function control unit 42 ("MFCU"), provides local controlfunctions for the customer service station 40 and provides radiocommunications, as for example with the communications controller 31 inFIG. 1. In the preferred embodiment the customer service station 40further includes a cash drawer 43 which, of course, is used for storingcash and customer-signed credit authorizations. A card reader 44 allowsa customer's credit card information to be read when a customer hasselected to charge payments for purchased items to a credit cardaccount. Typically credit cards contain magnetic stripes bearingmagnetically encoded information relating to the customer. Data read bythe card reader consequently may include the card number, an accountnumber, possibly account status information, and such data mayfurthermore include a personal identification of the user. These dataneed to be interpreted. According to the preferred embodiment the cardreader is a model 40 Magstripe reader, as sold by American Magnetics. Ofcourse, other readers may be equally feasible. The reader is notcontemplated to include circuitry for the interpretation of data readfrom a card. Instead, the interpretation of data read from a card willbe performed by the control unit 42.

A self-contained power source, such as a rechargeable battery 45 iscontemplated to power all electrical functions of the customer servicestation 40 for the duration of each contemplated period of usage topermit the customer service station to maintain the mobility orindependence of customer service station 40 from conventional poweroutlets. It should be realized that, alternatively, mobile electronicequipment may be powered by transformer-type power supplies in temporarysubstitutions for batteries. Such alternate power sources typically donot require extensive hard wiring of the equipment to which they areapplied. Thus, within the intent of this invention such alternate powersources are somewhat self-contained and should be considered to liewithin the realm of reasonable changes and modifications within thescope of the invention. The battery is preferred to be a 12 volt deepcycle type battery. Depending on the type of usage of the equipmentcontemplated to be included as part of the customer service station 40,the battery size is selected to fully power all selected functions forthe duration of the longest contemplated period of usage. The correctlyselected battery size will allow the battery 45 to be charged duringidle periods, such as during store closing hours. The customer servicestation 40 will then be ready for use during the following business day.

A printer 46 is selected for low power usage in support of the mobilityof the customer service station. The printer is intended to printcustomer receipts and may be used to print customer creditauthorizations to be retained by the store. A printer typically is amechanical motion device requiring more power for its operation thanother, non-motion devices, such as computers or the card reader 44, forinstance. A multi-station printer, commercially available from NCRCorporation as Model 7150, has been selected as satisfying low powerrequirements deemed necessary for operating the customer service station40 essentially as a mobile unit.

A radio transceiver 47 functions as a transmitting and receiving unitfor the mobile customer service station 40. In a preferred embodiment ofthe customer service station 40, the transmitting and receivingfunctions of the transceiver 47 are separated from the functions ofencoding and decoding radio messages. The transmitting and receivingfunctions are separately housed in the transceiver 47 itself, while thecoding and decoding functions reside in and are part of themulti-function control unit 42, similar to the separation of the basetransceiver station 32 and the communications controller 31. A connector48 is located at the base of the transceiver 47 for electricallycoupling the transceiver 47 to the multi-function control unit 42. Thus,in such preferred embodiment the radio transceiver 47 is like the basetransceiver station 32 of the radio communications system 21, such thatthe two units are interchangeable. The radio transceiver is coupled tothe multi-function control unit 42 which performs all communicationsfunctions within the customer service station 40 other than thefunctions of receiving and transmitting radio messages.

An alternate embodiment of the mobile customer service station 40 isshown in FIG. 4. In addition to the components described with respect tothe preferred embodiment of the customer service station 40, thealternative embodiment thereof further includes a keyboard 49, a display50, such as a typical video screen, liquid crystal or an LED displaywith alphanumerical character modes, and a bar code reader 51. A barcode printer 52, also shown in the alternate embodiment of FIG. 4 may bedesirable for providing certain customer service functions differentfrom the typical function of tallying purchased items in a standardcheck-out operation.

The keyboard 49 is preferred to be an alphanumeric keyboard for enteringcomputer queries and customer information in addition to typical SKUnumbers. The display 50 is coupled to the keyboard 49 and to themulti-function control unit 42 and is consequently capable of showingdata received from either the keyboard 49 or the control unit 42. Thedata communication connection between the control unit 42 and thedisplay 50 is bi-directional, thereby providing for interactivecommunication between an operator of the keyboard 49 via the display 50with the multi-function control unit 42. In this interactive mode thecontrol unit 42 reads data from the display 50 or from the keyboard 49,and has the capability to output data or information to the display 50.The bar code reader 51 is preferably coupled to the display 50, and dataread by the bar code reader 51, for example, from merchandiseidentification tags or from customer courtesy cards or the like, arestored and displayed by the display 50. The multi-function control unit42 has, of course, access to data stored in the display 50 through thereferred-to bi-directional data link between the control unit 42 and thedisplay 50.

The bar code printer 52 is a typical, commercially available bar codeprinter. Typically one would not desire to include a bar code reader ona customer check-out station, however, it is advantageous to use theprinter 52 for printing merchandise labels for special sales or whenstandard merchandise labels are defective or missing. In special salessituations, the bar code printer 52 is used to print special saleslabels which are then applied to specially discounted items ofmerchandise to permit such items to be readily identified. Labelprinting for merchandise items may also be performed in line withgeneral merchandise restocking operations. The bar code printer 52,consequently, serves to further expand the usefulness of the mobilecustomer service station 40.

The customer service stations 40 as shown schematically in FIG. 1 andpictorially in FIG. 2 are representative of a currently preferredembodiment of the invention. As can be seen, some of the above-describedcomponents of the customer service station 40 are mounted externally andare at least partially visible in the pictorial representation. FIGS. 1and 2 show, for example, an antenna 55 of the radio transceiver 47, thecash drawer 43, and the multi-station printer 46. Other components, suchas the battery 45 and the multi-function control unit 42 are mountedwithin a housing or an enclosure 56 of the console 41. The enclosure 56is mounted, in turn, to a wheeled base or chassis 57 which serves as acomponent mounting structure of the console 41 of the customer servicestation 40.

The enclosure 56 desirably houses such electrical components that aredesirably not accessible and supports other components of the customerservice station which need to be accessed or be otherwise exposed. Forexample, because the transceiver need not be accessed by an operator,yet the antenna 55 desirably remains exposed for optimum functionalrange. Thus in the currently preferred arrangement of the variouscomponents of the mobile customer service station 40, the transceiver 47is visible only by its antenna 55. The multi-station printer 46 ispreferably placed on top of the enclosure 56 for ready access by aclerk. The cash drawer 43 is accessible and mounted to slide openhorizontally. Other components, such as the battery 45 and themulti-function control unit 42 are housed within the enclosure 56 andare consequently not visible. Wheels 58 allow the customer servicestation 40 to be readily moved about by pushing or pulling it. It shouldbe understood that various changes and modifications particularly in theplacement of the components are possible without departure from thespirit and scope of the invention. Also, while it is deemed possiblewithin the scope of the invention to apply power to the wheels 58 andthereby provide a self-propelled unit, these modifications are notcontemplated at this time.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of electrical control circuits whichimplement the functions supported by the multi-function control unit 42.In essence, the multi-function control unit serves the major functionsof controlling the operation of the components of the customer servicestation 40, and providing radio communications with the communicationscontroller 31.

A microprocessor 60 is shown to interact with several functionalsubcircuits via a control and data communications bus 61. As is oftenthe case, the microprocessor interacts with an EPROM 62 (an electricallyprogrammable read only memory) and a RAM 63 (a random access memory) ina typical manner. The EPROM 62 is initially programmed to store acontrol program to be accessed by the microprocessor 60. The controlprogram causes the microprocessor to generate control codes in apredetermined manner to control all functions to be exercised by thecustomer service station 40. Thus, the program stored in the EPROM 62establishes sequences and priorities between different operatingfunctions known as a controller protocol. The RAM 63 temporarily storesdata, which data may be either procedural or substantive. Proceduraldata are address codes, status information on a currently activecomponent of the customer service station, or information indicatingoperating sequences. Substantive data are, for example, data concerningcustomer information, SKU numbers of purchases made by a respectivecustomer, and price and quantity information.

An ADDRESS LATCH 64 latches or locks in the address of a current memoryaddress.

A status display 65 is an LED indicator, preferably showing four digits,which indicates visually an alphanumeric status report of the operationof the customer service station 40. Thus, an operator may receive atrouble report in case of a malfunction. In a normal mode the currentlyactive component of the customer service station 40 may be indicated.

A station identifier circuit 66 generates a code which, whenincorporated into a time-slot encoded radio transmission data message,identifies which particular customer service station 40 has originated aparticular radio transmission data message in question.

A dual communications port 67 is a serial communications port. Thecommunications port temporarily stores data in data registers fortransfer as a data stream into a serial interface, or the port 67receives data in serial format and stores such data temporarily in suchdata registers for immediately subsequent data transfer to themicroprocessor 60, for example.

The multi-function control unit 42 includes in its preferred embodiment,as shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 5, five electrical connectorswhich serve as external connections or interface ports between thecontrol unit 42 and the respective component as pointed out hereinbelow.

The connectors are labeled J1 through J5. The connector J1 is a generalpurpose serial interface, generally known as an RS232 port. The J1connector is in essence an auxiliary port, in that the preferredembodiment of the customer service station per FIG. 3 shows noconnection with respect to the connector J1. However, the display 50 or,in the alternative, the bar code printer 52 is contemplated to beconnected to the serial port J1. Data communication between the dualcommunication port 67 and any device externally connected to theconnector J1 is buffered through a typical buffer circuit 74.

The connector J2 establishes a connection between the magnetic cardreader 44 and the multi-function control unit 42. In reference to FIG.5, the data received from the card reader 44 are raw data and areinterpreted by a programmed microprocessor 75 in combination with a databuffer 76. The interpreted data are then applied to the dualcommunication port 67.

The connector J3 is the interface for the cash drawer 43. A command toopen the cash drawer is issued directly from the microprocessor 60 as aresult of a respective data message received thereby. Anamplifier-driver circuit 77, also referred to as a buffer, adapts thesignal from the microprocessor 60 to be recognized by the cash drawer43.

The connector J4 is a printer interface and is matched to a parallelinterface of the preferred multi-station printer 46. The data andhand-shake signals are applied by the microprocessor 60 to a buffer 78and from there directly to the connector J4.

The connector J5 is a mating communications connector for the connector48 and is preferably disposed to readily permit the radio transceiver 47to be interconnected with the multi-function control unit 42. Theconnector J5 is hence the port to the radio communications system 21 asshown in FIG. 1. The diagram of FIG. 5 shows the microprocessor 60 assupporting serial transmit-receive functions. The microprocessor 60provides through the respective serial XR input-output terminals thecoding and decoding functions for the time-slot multiplexing procedurereferred to above. Because of critical timing relationships, theencoding and decoding functions are preferred to be performed directlyby the microprocessor. The signal generated by the microprocessor 60 isthen transferred through a single buffer 79 and through the connector J5to the radio transceiver 47. All transmissions received by ortransmitted from the mobile customer service station 40 are,consequently, encoded to uniquely identify the particular data in suchradio data messages with a particularly coded terminal 33.

Thus, to infuse one or more of the mobile customer service stations 40into the radio communications system 21, a corresponding number of thepotentially addressable data terminals 33 are deactivated and therespective customer service stations 40 are substituted to take theplace of the deactivated data terminals 33. To establish correctidentification of the respective customer service stations 40, each ofthe multi-function control units 42 must have stored the address codethat corresponds to the address code of one of the deactivated dataterminals 33.

From the above-described method of substituting the customer servicestations 40 it becomes apparent that the number of substitutions cannotexceed the maximum number of available radio address codes within anygiven system. Thus, within the described limits of the preferred system,the maximum number of substituted customer service terminals would besixteen.

In accordance with a preferred method of using the mobile customerservice stations 40 as mobile stations of the transaction control system10, a preferred number of substitutions of customer service stations 40for what would otherwise be radio addresses for the data terminals 33 isless than the total possible number of substitutions for the followingreasons.

In accordance herewith, the data terminals 33 are considered data entryterminals for the mobile customer service stations 40. To achieve suchmode of operation, the communications protocol lodged in the centralcomputer 11 can be modified to establish communication between arespective one of the data terminals 33 and one of the mobile customerservice stations. A number of operational variations will be discussedbelow which affect the operational sequence and hence the protocol inthe computer.

One basic mode of operation is best described in reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 6, which relates to a transaction sequence in whicha customer approaches a service clerk with the intent of consummatingmerchandise purchases. The service clerk is in possession of one of thedata terminals 33. Upon initial contact with the customer the serviceclerk assigns a temporary order number. This may be performed in any ofa number of ways. For example each of a number of service clerks mayhave assigned to them a specific employee number, such that the entry ofthe number immediately identifies the particular employee who isproviding the service. Of course, the particular data terminal isuniquely identified by the central computer. Consequently, anotherprocedure by which a number assignment may be made is a directassignment as the result of the data terminal signing on. Such initialsign-on triggers the computer to open a file, hence to assign atemporary order number, as indicated by the step ASSIGN ORDER NUMBER.Thus the order number is transmitted to or generated by the centralcomputer 11 or HOST, as indicated in the flow diagram.

The service clerk now enters the first merchandise number, an SKUnumber, into the data terminal 33 and transmits the SKU number of theselected merchandise item to the central computer 11 (INPUT SKU NO.).The computer looks up the price and merchandise description in itsmemory 13 (See FIG. 1 for system references) and transmits theinformation to the data terminal 33 (DISPLAY PRICE, DESCRIPTION).

At this point the customer may make a decision. For example, the pricemay not meet the customer's expectations because of a missed date for aspecial sales price or because a certain size or color of an item is nolonger available. The customer is in a position to choose the item or todecline it. This is indicated by the decisional step APPROVED?. If theitem is not chosen, the purchase is not approved, the item is deletedfrom the order, hence from the temporary file that has been opened forthe customer in the memory 13 of the computer 11, as indicated by thestep DELETE ITEM FROM ORDER. If the customer chooses the selected item,hence approves its purchase, the service clerk may inquire with thecustomer whether another purchase is to be made (ORDER COMPLETE?). Ifanother item is to be purchased, another selection is made and the SKUnumber is again entered and transmitted to the computer 11. The processis repeated through the ORDER COMPLETE? decisional step until the querycan be answered in the affirmative. At that point the instruction ENDORDER is transmitted to the host, the computer 11.

The computer 11 at this point interactively transmits the sum total ofpurchased items including taxes to the data terminal 33. The total isdisplayed on the digital readout 35 of the terminal 33, and the customerhas again the choice to approve or disapprove the purchase. The customermay disapprove, for example, because the sum total exceeds credit limitsor budgetary restraints. In case of non-approval the EDIT ORDER stepallows for the deletion of an item and the display of the revised sumtotal. If the final purchase stands approved, the next step is to assignfinal processing to one of the customer service stations 40 as describedherein above.

The final processing differs from processing a customer's purchases at atypical cash register. Referring, for example, to a typical check-outoperation, the customer may have indicated to the service clerk thepreferred manner in which payment is to be made, such as by credit card.A station number of a conveniently located mobile customer servicestation 40 is entered into the data terminal 33 and transmitted to thecomputer 11. The computer matches the temporary order number with thestation number of the selected customer service station 40 and transmitsthe information to the customer service station 40. It is to be notedthat the data terminal 33 is not directly linked to the customer servicestation 40, in that the radio transceiver 38 of the data terminal 33 ison an equal hierarchical level with the transceiver 47 of the customerservice station 40. Both are by design unable to communicate with eachother. However, the computer 11 provides the interactive communicationsinterface for effectively linking the data terminal 33 to function asthe input keyboard for the customer service station 40.

In one contemplated method of operation, the service clerk is in theposition to enter the customer's name and transmit that information tothe computer 11. This may be done, for example while another clerkprocesses another customer at the same customer service station 40 atwhich the current transaction will subsequently be completed. Thus, theservice clerk does not require actual or direct access to the customerservice station 40 to enter such preliminary customer information intothe computer 11. The direct communication of customer data from the dataterminal 33 to the computer 11 is of particular advantage if thecustomer has an approved line of credit with the store and the creditinformation can be checked against the current transaction without theneed to step up to the customer service station 40. Thus, an oftendisliked and sometimes confusing congestion as is found at typical cashregisters may be avoided.

As soon as the previous customer transaction by another service clerk iscompleted at the selected customer service station, the service clerk inthe next current transaction will have service from the multi-stationprinter 46. The purchase receipt with or without a credit agreement isprinted presented to the customer, for signature if a purchase has beenmade on credit. The merchandise is now either packed at a separatestation or the customer service station 40 can be employed for suchadditional purpose. When either the financial record printing or bothprinting the receipt and wrapping the purchased items is completed, thework at the customer service station is done and the next customer canbe processed.

It is readily seen that a per-customer processing time at the customerservice station 40 is reduced with respect to that of typicalpoint-of-sale registers, since the use of a single keyboard at thetypical point-of-sale register is used for checking out merchandiseitems and verifying customer credit information. Thus even whenpoint-of-sale check-out registers are coupled into a computer with theability to total purchases ahead of the customer stepping to theregister, the typical time consuming information taking and approvalprocess at the register remains.

In reference to FIG. 1, various modes of operating the customer servicestations 40 are contemplated. The mobility of the stations 40 offer anumber of advantages, in that the stations 40 are readily moved about ona sales floor without the need for wiring changes or installation. Abasic mode of operation is an augmentation of an existing point of salessystem 23 which already uses the radio communications system 21 forinventory control functions. In the referred-to system having thecapability of addressing a total of sixteen radio transceiver units 38,a substitution of four terminals 33 changes the radio communicationssystem 21 to include a full complement of twelve data terminals 33 andfour customer service PG,26 stations 40, hence a ratio of three dataterminals to each customer service station 40. While this number ofsubstitution is given as a convenient example, other ratios arecertainly possible. An optimum ratio of data terminals 33 to mobilecustomer service stations 40 is recognized as depending on theparticular merchandizing environment. While the use of a number of dataterminals 33 exceeding the number of customer service stations is seenas advantageous for many check-out operations, using the same number ofcustomer service stations 40 as there are data terminals 33 is withinthe scope of the invention. In fact, one may also substitute and use anumber of customer service stations 40 which exceeds the number ofactive data terminals 33. The flexibility of the system 10 as describedherein is seen as an advantage and benefit of the current invention. Thedescribed flexibility of the transaction control system 10 is seenfurthermore as being particularly useful during seasonal peak demandsduring which additional customer check-out terminals or facilities maybe needed and wiring installations are not deemed feasible.

Another application for use of the customer service stations 40 is atemporary location from which complex wiring for connections to acentral computer 11 is not feasible, such as a tent, garden or warehousesale. In such an area there are typically no provisions for coupling asales terminal to a central computer 11. A proper wiring installationfor computer-controlled check-out facilities would frequently not befeasible. In addition to the cost of installing electrical wiring, timefactors involved in making wiring installations severely hampers theintent of installing a customer service terminal quickly in response toa present demand. On the other hand, the mobile customer service station40 is readily moved to the desired location. If the placement of theterminal 40 is in the general area and range of the permanentinstallation of the radio communications system 21, then no relaystation or electrical wiring installation is required. As analternative, for unusually remote locations, a single one of thehard-wire cables 20 may be needed to simply locate the communicationscontroller 31 and the base transmitter station 32 into the generallocale in which a plurality of the customer service stations are to beused.

Using a plurality of the data terminals 33 for keying in information toeach mobile customer service station 40 potentially reduces thecheck-out time per customer at the station to about one third of thatrequired at a full check-out station. The contemplated use of the dataterminal 33 in combination with the mobile customer service station 40consequently not only provides a check-out station that improvescustomer service but also enhances the usefulness of the data terminals33 to their owners.

A further application for the customer service stations 40 is at a tradefair or exhibition, particularly at one at which a number of commonlycontrolled sales areas are located in different parts of a fair grounds.In such event the computer can maintain accurate central control overall sales areas.

Particularly in this latter example, the system is intended to functionnot as an augmentation to an existing stationary point-of-sale system,but as an independently functioning mobile customer service system.

It is to be understood that various changes and modifications can bemade to alter the specifically described structure or methods ofoperation of the preferred embodiment without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention. This invention is to be defined only by thescope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:
 1. A transaction control system comprising:at leastone portable data terminal, such data terminal including means forentering and for transmitting uniquely identifiable data and datamessages relating to customer transactions; at least one mobile customerservice station, said service station including a self-contained powersource, a printer for printing customer transaction records and meansfor receiving uniquely addressed data and data messages; a wirelesscommunications station including means for individually polling andaddressing a plurality of such portable data terminals and mobilecustomer service stations and for transmitting to such data terminalsand customer service stations said uniquely addressed data and datamessages and for receiving from such customer service stations and dataterminals said uniquely identifiable data and data messages; and acomputer, said computer being communicatively interconnected with saidwireless communications station for transfer of said uniquelyidentifiable data and data messages, including means for uniquelyaddressing any of such uniquely identifiable data and data messages fortransfer to and transmission by said wireless communications system toany one and any selected ones of said at least one portable dataterminal and said at least one mobile customer service station, meansfor initiating such transfer to receive from such wirelesscommunications station said uniquely identifiable data and data messagesrelating to customer transactions from any one such data terminal, meansfor encoding said uniquely identifiable transaction data and datamessages with a unique address for transfer to and transmission by saidwireless communications station to said at least one mobile customerservice station having such unique address and means for directing suchcustomer service station to print a record of such customer transaction.2. A transaction control system according to claim 1,wherein said atleast one portable data terminal comprises a transceiver includingcoding, decoding, transmitting and receiving circuits, and wherein saidcoding and transmitting circuits of said portable data terminaltransceiver are included in said means for transmitting data and datamessages, and wherein said at least one mobile customer service stationcomprises a transceiver including coding, decoding, transmitting andreceiving circuits, and wherein said decoding and receiving circuits ofsaid mobile customer service station transceiver are included in saidmeans for receiving data and data messages.
 3. A transaction controlsystem according to claim 2, wherein said at least one data terminal isa first plurality of data terminals, and wherein the number of said dataterminals in said first plurality of data terminals is greater than saidat least one mobile customer service station.
 4. A transaction controlsystem according to claim 2, wherein said at least one data terminal isa first plurality of data terminals, and wherein a ratio of the numberof such data terminals in such first plurality of data terminals to saidat least one mobile customer service station is a ratio of at least 2to
 1. 5. A transaction control system according to claim 2, wherein saidat least one mobile customer service station further includes a controlunit, said control unit including said coding and decoding circuits ofsaid mobile customer service station transceiver, said control unitfurther including a first communications connector and means forcoupling said coding and decoding circuits of said mobile customerservice station to said communications connector, and wherein saidtransmitting and receiving circuits of said mobile customer servicestation are mounted in a housing, said housing including a connectormatched to interconnect with the first communications connector of saidcontrol unit, and means for coupling said transmitting and receivingcircuits of said mobile customer service station to said housingconnector, such that upon interconnection of said housing and firstcommunications connectors, said coding and decoding circuits of saidmobile customer service station and said transmitting and receivingcircuits of said mobile customer service station are communicativelyinterconnected.
 6. A transaction control system according to claim 2,wherein said at least one mobile customer service station furthercomprises:a magnetic card reader for reading data from a customer'scredit card; and a control unit communicatively coupled to the printer,the magnetic card reader, and the transceiver in said mobile customerservice station, said control unit including means for controlling theoperation of the printer, the magnetic card reader and the transceiverin said mobile customer service station, means for receiving data anddata messages from the magnetic card reader and from the transceiver insaid mobile customer service station, and means for transferring dataand data messages to the transceiver in said mobile customer servicestation.
 7. A transaction control system according to claim 6, whereinsaid at least one mobile customer service station further comprises:acash drawer, said cash drawer including an operating circuit operable toopen said cash drawer upon receipt of a cash drawer control signal, saidoperating circuit being communicatively coupled to said control unit;and means, included within said control unit, for sending the cashdrawer control signal to said operating circuit of said cash drawer. 8.A transaction control system according to claim 7, wherein said at leastone mobile customer service station further comprises:a digital display,comprising means for receiving and storing digital data and messages fordisplay; a data input device coupled to said display for acquiring datain digital format for transfer to said display; and means forcommunicatively coupling said display to said control unit fortransferring data between said display and said control unit, saidcoupling and transferring means including coding of data transferredfrom such display and transmission of such coded data to said computer.9. A transaction control system according to claim 8, wherein said datainput device is a keyboard having a plurality of alphanumeric input keysfor entering data and data messages into said display, and including aprompt means for causing the transfer of such entered data to saidcontrol unit.
 10. A customer service station for communication with atleast one portable data terminal via a radio communication system, saidsystem including a computer coupled to said system, comprising:a printerfor printing a customer transaction record; a uniquely identifiablewireless transceiver, said transceiver including circuit means forcoding and transmitting data and data messages uniquely identifiable bysaid radio communications system as having originated from saidtransceiver, and for receiving and decoding data and data messages fromsaid at least one portable data terminal uniquely addressed for beingdecoded solely by said transceiver by the computer coupled to said radiocommunications system; means for transferring decoded data and datamessages from said transceiver to said printer for printing a record ofsaid data and data messages; a self-contained power source; and meansfor coupling said power source to said printer, to said wirelesstransceiver and to said transfer means, whereby said printer, saidwireless transceiver, said transfer means and said self-contained powersource are collectively mobile for infusion at a preselected locationinto said radio communications system to co-operate with said at leastone portable data terminal and said radio communications system as acustomer transaction control system wherein data and data messages fromsaid at least one portable data terminal uniquely addressed to saidwireless transceiver by said radio communication system compriseinformation for printing a customer transaction record.
 11. A customerservice station according to claim 10, the station further comprising:amagnetic card reader; and a control unit, said control unit electricallycoupled to said power source and including said power source couplingmeans, said coding and decoding circuit means of said transceiver andsaid means for transferring, and further including means forinterpreting data read by said magnetic card reader from a credit card,and means for storing data and data messages including such interpreteddata from said magnetic card reader; and means for communicativelycoupling said magnetic card reader to said control unit to transfer datafrom the magnetic card reader to the control unit, whereby data read bythe magnetic card reader can be coded and transferred within saidtransaction control system.
 12. A customer service station according toclaim 11, the station further comprising:a cash drawer, said cash drawerincluding an operating circuit operable to open said cash drawer uponreceipt of a cash drawer control signal, said operating circuit beingcommunicatively coupled to said control unit; and means, included withinsaid control unit, for sending the cash drawer control signal to saidoperating circuit of said cash drawer.
 13. A customer service stationaccording to claim 11, the station further comprising:a digital display,comprising means for receiving and storing digital data and messages fordisplay; a data input device coupled to said display for acquiring datain digital format for transfer to said display; and means forcommunicatively coupling said display to said control unit fortransferring data between said display and said control unit, saidcoupling and transferring means including coding of data transferredfrom such display and transmission of such coded data to said computer.14. A customer service station according to claim 13, wherein said datainput device is a keyboard having a plurality of alphanumeric input keysfor entering data and data messages into said display, and including aprompt means for causing the transfer of such entered data to saidcontrol unit.
 15. A customer service station according to claim 14, thestation further comprising:a bar code reader electrically andcommunicatively coupled to said control unit to receive data from suchcontrol unit.
 16. A customer service station according to claim 13, thestation further comprising:a bar code reader electrically andcommunicatively coupled to said control unit to receive data from suchcontrol unit.
 17. A customer service station according to claim 11,wherein the printer is a multi-station printer including a firstprinting station for printing a sales receipt to be presented to acustomer and a credit card charge slip to be signed by the customer, anda second printing station for generating a printed transaction log. 18.A customer service station according to claim 11, the station furthercomprising:a bar code reader electrically and communicatively coupled tosaid control unit to receive data from such control unit.
 19. A customerservice station according to claim 11, the station further comprising:abase including a component mounting structure; a plurality of wheelsmounted to and supporting said base; and an enclosure mounted to andsupported by said base, said enclosure housing said power source andsaid control unit, and supporting said printer and said card reader.